Steering mechanism for water and aircraft



April 11, 1939. H. c. BRIGGS 2,154,321

surname MECHANISM FOR WATER AND AIRCRAFT Origirial Filed oci. 10, 1936 IN VEN TOR.

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Patented Apr. 11, 1939' umrensrares PATENT ore-ice a 2.154.:21 I Bra-sumo lscnsmsu ron ws'rsaasn Henry 0. Briggs, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Original application October 10, 1936. Serial No.

10511:. Divided and this application June 11,

- 1937, Serial N15147:",

My invention relates broadly ships, submarines and aircraft larly to safety mechanism for rigibiiity of ships,

Thisapplication is and more particuimproving the disubmarines and aircraft.

a division of my co P8 1 8 application, Serial Number 105,112, illedOctober 10, 1936, for "Safety the dirigibility of craft.

mechanism for improving ships, submarines and air- One of the objects or m nvenuonis to proaircraft of navigation conwhich steering of large vessels,

may be facilitated.

my invention is to provide navigation mechanism for wherein means are associated with the mechanism for variably displacing the fluid'medium in which the vessel is navigated directly through the ing of the vessel mechanism.

Still another object vide an arrangement of con rudder with means dium through the rudder for facilitating steer under control of the rudder of myinvention is to duits through the for displacing the fluid n'1econduits for developing forces vessel.

controllable for navigating the I 1 A further object of my invention is to provide an arrangement of turbines constructed for directly acting upon the fluid medium for maneuvering a vessel in the fluid medium independently of the main propulsion system. other and further objects of my invention reside in the application of for propelling mechanism submarines and aircraft I more fully in the specification ing by reference to the in which:

Figure 1 illustrates turbine structure applied to vessels,

navigation as setforth hereinafter followaccompanying drawing a hollow rudder equipped with reversible turbines operating in vertically and horizontally disposed c onduits extending through the hollow rudder for. controlling the displacement of fluid and the vessels with which the rudder navigation of the is associated and illustrating mechanical drive means for imparting rotation to the sion from within the fled arrangement ofmeans for the turbines through the conduits; tional view taken on line H turbines through transmisvessel; Fig. 2 shows a modirudder having electric drive which displace the fluid Fig. 3 is a horizontal secof Fig. 2; and Fig.

4 is. a vertical sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2. Referrlngto the drawing in encecharacter I designates more detail, refer.-

thehull of a vessel which may be of various types or constructions and in which .there' is arranged "a stern bearing 2 for journaling the main or deadwood is indicated securing to the skeg or deadw propeller}. The skeg The rudder shoe 00d is'indicated at 'The rudder structure may be reclaim. (a. 114-151) to navigation of I. A

stuillngboxtisprovidedinthehullofthe through which the rudder post 1 extends. rudder post I is pivoted or journaled at O in the rudder shoe I. The rudder shown at I is of hollow construction, as will be pointed out hereinaftei-inmorede Aquadrant llisconnected with theupper end ofthe rudder post I for operation from tiller cabla leading to the wheel house.

in my invention herein The means employed described include fluid turbine devices arran ed vessel in the hollow rudder.

The turbine. which operates to force fluid through the vertically extending conduit is partlcularly useful in the. operation of submarines in assisting the subm rsing and emerging of the vessel.

As represented more clearly in Figs. 2-4, the hollow rudder lis provided with tubular conduits. or fluid passages Ill, III which extend in substantially vertical and horizontal direction and open at opposite portions of the rudder. A turbine is interpom'in the path of each of the tubular conduits. Turbine III is located in con- Turbine I24 is located in conduit I22. The turbines I23 and I24 are driven by electrical motors indicated at Illa and I240 or are driven through rotary shafts extending through hollow rudder post I from driving means interiorly of the vessel as indicated in Fig. 1. "hand I241: may be stopped for driving the with the required maneuvering of the vessel.

r The motors I 23a and I240 are quickly reversible so that the displacement of the fluid through the instantly controlled. On surface vessels vertical turbines may be omitted and only horizontal turbines employed. with. reference to the arrangement illustrated in Fig. 1 in which the turbines in the rudder are driven by transmission means extending from the interior of the vessel, the drives to the separate turbines are maintained wholly independent.

The drive to the turbine 12;, extends from shaft 2, extending through the and through a suitable bearing 21 to the miter gears 28 controlled by drive shaft 2!. Turbine I24 is driven throughshaft ll extending through hollow rudder post I for mounting in bearing 3!. Shaft "is driven through miter gears 32 from shaft 38 extending into the interior of thevessel. The hollow rudder 9 is provided with a face plate indicated generally at 34 which is removably connected in any suitable manner with the rudder casing to'permit access to the interior of so hollow rudder post 1 5 the rudder and to the turbines contained therein as may be required.

Any suitable means may be provided for supporting ,.the driving motors Illa and lllla. interiorly of the hollow rudder.

Where the mechanism of my-invention is applied to naval vessels subject to the destruction of war, I may employ armor plate as part of the construction of the hollow rudder-for the: protection of the turbines and the fluid conduits within the hollow rudder.- The turbines are sufllciently isolated from the main body of fluid, due to relatively small size of opening and the length of the fluid conduit, so that the effects of percussion in the main body of fluid are minimized at the position of the turbines.

The turbines in the rudder may coact with turbines included in conduits in the hull of the vessel or with the main conveyor for facilitating the go maneuverability of the vessel. That is to say, the turbines in the hollow rudder may integrate propulsion forces with respect to the main propeller 3 and aid in driving the vessel.

Wherever I use the expression "turbine or 25 turbine pump" in the foregoing specification or in the appended claims, I intend to include a y form of hydraulic pump; and by the term "impeller" I refer to the impelling element of such hydraulic pump without regard to any term or name associated with such impelling element by various manufacturers.

Wherever I refer to a "hollow rudder it need be hollow only in such a sense as may be necessary for the inclusion and proper. operation of the specified machinery.

While I have described my invention particularly in connection with surface vessels, I desire that it be understood that corresponding applications of my invention may be made for sub-;

marines and aircraft and no limitations upon my invention are intended other than may be imposed by the scope of'the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows:'

1. Mechanism for maneuvering vessels comprising in combination a hollow rudder, means for angularly adjusting the rudder through selected vertical planes, tubular conduits extending horizontally from front to backof the rudder, and vertically from top to bottom, turbines each having an impeller, drive means for rotatively driving said impellers, means individual to each of said conduits for including one of said impellers in the fluid path thereof, and separate means for controlling the operation of said drive means for correspondingly controlling the dismeans supported within said hollow rudder for ,variably controlling. the movement of fluid through the passage in said rudder.

4. Mechanism for maneuvering vessels comprising in combination a hollow rudder, means for angularly adjusting the rudder through solected vertical planes, tubular conduits extending through the rudder, horizontally from front edge to back edge, and vertically from top edge to bottom edge, turbines each having an impeller, drive means for rotatably driving said impellers, means individual to each of said conduits for including one of said impellers in the fluid path thereof, and separate means for controlling the operation of said drive means for correspondingly controlling the discharge force or fluid through said rudder.

5. Mechanism for maneuvering vessels comprising in combination with a hollow rudder, a turbine pump disposed within said hollow rudder, said turbine pump having a duct running substantially horizontally and parallel with the horizontal axis of the rudder from front to back thereof, drive means for saidturbine pump'supported within said hollow rudder and effecting suction of the water at one end of duct, and discharge thereof at the opposite. end whereby driving forces are developed by the movement of water through the duct, and means for controlling the operation of said drive means.

6. Mechanism for controlling the movement of vessels comprising a hollow rudder angularly adjustable in selected vertical planes, said rudder including independent conduits extending therethrough forming passages for water from front to back and from top to bottom of said rudder through forming passages for water from frontto back' and from top to bottom of said rudder, a turbine disposed in each of said conduits, said turbine including a casing formed integral with the conduits, an impeller rotatabiy mounted in each casing, and separate means for i parting rotary movement to each of said impe ers for controlling the flow of water through said conduits.

8. Mechanism for controlling the movement of .vessels comprising a hollow rudder angularly adjustable in selected vertical planes, said rudder including independent conduits extending there-- through forming passages for water from front to back and from top to bottom of said rudder, a turbine individualto each of said conduits, each turbine including a casing connected with its as-, sociated conduit, an impeller disposed in said casing, means in said hollow rudder for independently driving said impellers, and means external to said hollow rudder for controlling the operation of the aforementioned means.

9. Mechanism for maneuvering vessels comprising in combination a hollow rudder, means for angularly adjusting the rudder through selected vertical planes, a tubular conduit extend ing horizontally from front to back of said rudder, a turbine having an impeller means for mounting said turbine within said "rudder, drive means disposed within said hollow rudder for rotatively driving said impeller. means for including said impeller in the fluid path of said conduit, and separate means for controlling the o ration of said drive means for correspondingly controlling the discharge force of fluid through said rudder.

10. Mechanism for maneuvering vessels comprising in combination a hollow rudder, means for angularly adjusting the rudder through selected vertical planes, a tubular conduit extending through the rudder horizontally from front edge to back edge, a turbine comprising an impeller and a casing, said casing being connected 5 with said tubular conduit, drive means extending through said casing and connected with said impeller for rotatively driving said impeller, said casing including said impeller in the fluid path of said conduit, and separate means for control- 10 ling the operation of said drive means for correspondingly controlling the discharge force of fluid through said rudder.

11. Mechanism for controlling the movement of vessels comprising a hollow rudder of metallic 1g sheet material forming spaced substantially parallel walls, said rudder being angularly adjustable in-selected vertical planes and including an independent conduit extending therethrough between said"substantially parallel walls forming an a passage for water from front to back of said rudder, and means disposed in said passage for variably controlling the flow of I water through said passage.

12. Mechanism for controlling the movement g5 01 vessels comprising a hollow rudder angularly adjustable in selected vertical planes, said rudder including an independent conduit extending therethrough forming a passage for water from front to back of said rudder, a turbine supported 30 within said hollow rudder and disposed in said conduit, said turbine including a casing formed integral with the conduit, an impeller rotatively mounted in said casing, and-separate means disposed within said hollow rudder for imparting rotary movement to said impeller for controlling the flow of water through said conduit.

18. Mechanism for controlling the movement of vessels comprising a hollow rudder angularly adjustable in selected vertical planes, said rudder including an independent conduit extending therethrough forming a passage for water from front to back of said rudder. a turbine supported within said hollow rudder and including a casing connected with said conduit, an impeller dis- 5 posed in said casing, motive means enclosed by saidhollow' rudder for independently driving said impeller, and means external to said hollow rudder for controlling the operation of the aforementioned means. so 14. Mechanism for maneuvering vessels comprising in combination a hollow rudder, means for angularly adJusting the rudder through selected vertical planes, a tubular conduit extend-- ing vertically from top to-bottom of said rudder,

a turbine having an impeller, motive means for rotatlvely driving said impeller located within said rudder means for including said impeller in the fluid path of said conduit. and separate means for controlling the operation of said drive means for correspondingly controlling the discharge force of fluid through said rudder.

- 15. Mechanism for maneuvering vessels comprising in combination a hollow rudder, means for angularly adiusting the rudder through selected vertical planes, tubular conduits extending horlaontally from front to back and from top to bottom of the rudder, turbines each having an impeller, drive means supported within said hollow rudder and external to said conduits for rotativehr driving said impellers. means individual to each of said conduits for including one of said impellers in the fluid path thereof, and separate means for controlling the operation of said drive means for correspondingly controlling the discharge force of fluid through said rudder.

16. Mechanism for maneuvering vessels comprising in combination a hollow rudder, means for angularly adjusting the rudder through selected vertical planes, tubular conduits extending vertically from top to bottom and horizontally from front to back of the rudder, turbines each having an impeller, means supporting said turbines within said hollow rudder, drive means disposed within said hollow rudder for rotatively driving said impellers, a casing individual to each of said conduits for including one of said impellers in the fluid path thereof, and separate means for controlling the operation of said drive means for correspondingly controlling the discharge force of fluid through said rudder.

1'7. Mechanism for maneuvering vessels comprising in combination a hollow rudder, means for angularly adjmting the rudder through selected vertical planes, tubular conduits extending substantially normal to each other in different vertical planes through said rudder, turbines supported within said rudder and each having an impeller, drive means located within said rudder for rotatively driving said impellers, means individual to each said conduits for including one of said impellers in the fluid path thereof, and separate means for controlling the operation of said drive means for correspondingly controlling the discharge force of fluid through said rudder.

18. Mechanism for maneuvering vessels comprising in combination a hollow rudder, means for angularly adjusting the rudder through selected vertical planes, tubular conduits disposed at an angle to each other and oil-set in vertical planeswlthrespecttoeachotherand extending from edge to edge of said hollow rudder, hydraulic pumping devicu located in each of said tubular conduits, motive means for driving said hydraulic pumping devices for variably controlling the displacement of water through the tubular conduits extending through said hollow mdder.

19. for maneuvering vessels comprising ineombination a hollow rudder, means for angularly adjusting the rudder through selected vertical planes,a tubular conduit extending through said hollow rudder from edge to edge thereof in substantially a vertical direction with the axis thereof oft-set from a plane passing through the central axis of the rudder, a hydraulic pumping device disposed within said hollow rudder, said hydraulic pumping device having an impelling element located in the path of said conduit for variably controlling the displacement of water through the conduit.

20. Mechanism for maneuvering vessels comprising in combination a hollow rudder. means for angularly adjusting the rudder through selected vertical planes, a tubular conduit extending throughsaidhollowrudderfromedgetoedge thereof in substantially a horizontal direction with the axis thereof oil-set from a plane through the central axis of therudder, a hydraulic pumping device disposed within' said hollow rudder, said pumping device having an im pelling element located in the path of said conduit for variably controlling the displacement of water through the conduit.

HBNRY G. BRIGGS. 

